I opened the door to the microwave to reheat my coffee a few mornings ago, then realized I just didn’t want to put it in there. What in the world was all that stuff stuck to the top and sides? Ew. Before the coffee was going in, somebody was going to have to clean out that microwave. It looked like someone had a tiny little ticker tape parade. So much food-confetti, so little space. Worst of all, there were a couple of spaghetti sauce stalactites in there. I like my coffee with lots of sweetener and plenty of creamer. But call me picky, I like it completely without spaghetti sauce drippings.
And speaking of “picky,” I thought I might actually need a pickaxe to get to the root of some of those stalactites. Do they make a microwave cleaner that has dynamite as one of its components?
Life can sometimes be a little like my microwave. Anytime I’m wondering why it doesn’t taste as sweet, I really have to look at what I might be hanging onto, stalactite-style. Hanging onto self-centeredness, bitterness, laziness or any of those kinds of things will always zap the deliciousness right out of life.
First Peter 2:1-2 gives us a big, ugly list and then tells us that making God’s Word a central part of our lives can help us get rid of everything ugly that might be hanging around in there. “So be done with every trace of wickedness, depravity, malignity and all deceit and insincerity, pretense, hypocrisy and grudges, envy, jealousy and slander and evil speaking of every kind. Like newborn babies you should crave, thirst for, earnestly desire, the pure, unadulterated spiritual milk, that by it you may be nurtured and grow unto completed salvation.”
Before I can grab onto what the Lord wants me to do, and before I can experience the satisfaction and joy that comes with fruitfulness, I have to let go of sin and selfishness and hang on tight to the instruction of his word. God’s word is life building, fruit building, faith building.
Paul reminds us to stay rooted in our faith in Colossians 1:21-23: “You used to be far from God. Your thoughts made you his enemies, and you did evil things. But his Son became a human and died. So God made peace with you, and now he lets you stand in his presence as people who are holy and faultless and innocent. But you must stay deeply rooted and firm in your faith.”
Getting rid of sin and growing in God’s word leads to a faith that’s deeply rooted. Firm. Okay, that seems more like a stalagmite than a stalactite, but still, mite or tite, completely immovable in the mightiest, tightiest way. And that’s what will lead to the most amazing, explosively powerful life.
Dynamite? Comparatively speaking, it’s got nuthin’.
by RHONDA RHEA / contributing columnist